According to reports, members of the Jharkhand State Women Congress Committee were destroying liquor bottles at illegal shops when a group of men attacked them

Congress MP Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu with the party workers who were attacked by liquor mafia on Monday. (Manoj Kumar / HT Photo)

The state Congress is up in arms after women workers of the party were beaten up in Jamshedpur’s Chhaya Nagar locality on Monday, allegedly by members of the liquor mafia. The party workers were demolishing illegal liquor shops in the area when they were assaulted.

According to reports, the women, led by Jharkhand State Women Congress Committee (JSWCC) secretary Puja Singh, were destroying liquor bottles at illegal shops when a group of men attacked them, beat them up and locked them in a room. The situation was brought under control after other Congress members came out in support of the women workers.

Puja Singh said the party has been running a campaign against illegal liquor shops operating in various Jamshedpur . However, she said, the women party workers have been attacked for the first time.

After the incident, party leaders, including Rajya Sabha member Pradeep Kumar Balmochu, former JSWCC vice president Devika Singh and former East Singhbbhum District Congress Committee president Ravindra Jha met senior superintendent of police Anoop T Mathew demanding immediate action against the assault.

“This is an attack on the whole party. Puja Singh and the others were campaigning for a noble cause and such attack will not be tolerated any more. A mass movement will be called if all accused are not arrested within a couple of days,” Devika Singh said. The SSP assured that the police will take action under due course.